I am Master Maoshan

As they ventured deeper, the surrounding temperature dropped, and a chill swept over them. Liu Jun couldn't help but shiver, instinctively pulling his clothes tighter around himself. Just then, the blue crystal ahead suddenly stopped, emitting a burst of intense light.

Liu Jun looked up and found himself facing a massive stone gate. A huge mythical beast was carved on the gate, its claws outstretched, as if it might pounce at any moment. On either side of the gate stood a massive stone pillar, its surface covered with various mysterious runes.

"This is the gate to the inheritance of the Heavenly Dao," Yu's voice rang in Liu Jun's ears. "Only by passing through this gate can you obtain the true inheritance. However, don't worry, the Heavenly Dao is more agreeable than you think."

Looking at the massive stone door, Liu Jun felt both excited and nervous. He knew this was a crucial step in his journey to becoming a Ruler, and the final turning point in his destiny. He took a deep breath, then slowly reached out and pushed against the stone door.

"What the hell?!" Liu Jun had just pushed open the heavy stone door when an incredibly powerful suction force surged out from inside.

The suction was like an invisible yet incredibly powerful giant hand, gripping him tightly and trying to drag him into an unknown world.

Liu Jun felt a sudden dizziness, and everything around him became blurry. Before he could react or even utter a complete shout, he vanished in an instant, like a leaf swept away by a gust of wind.

As his vision gradually cleared, the scene before him left him completely stunned and dumbfounded.

What unfolded before him was a familiar scene of the human world. The well-arranged high-rise buildings, the bustling streets, and the green trees swaying in the wind along the roadside—everything about it filled him with immense warmth and familiarity. This was China, this was Yanshi, the very place where he had first appeared.

While Liu Jun was still in shock, trying to process this sudden turn of events, he was suddenly bumped hard by someone. The impact almost made him stumble and fall to the ground.

"Are you sick in the head? Standing in the middle of the road!" A burly man with a face full of scars glared at him with eyes like copper bells and shouted in a loud voice.

Liu Jun then came to his senses. He looked at the angry, burly man in front of him, but felt no anger at all.

After all that incredible thing had just happened, this little collision was nothing to him. He lowered his head slightly, a slightly apologetic smile on his face, and said softly, "I'm sorry."

Seeing Liu Jun's sincere attitude and his thin appearance, the burly man didn't continue to pester him. He just glared at him again, then walked away cursing, his footsteps making the ground tremble slightly.

Liu Jun watched the burly man's departing figure, then slowly stepped aside, stood still, and fell into deep thought.

He closed his eyes, trying to sense everything around him, attempting to find some clues in this seemingly ordinary environment.

If this is just an environment, a kind of illusion or simulated scene that he once experienced, then this environment is too realistic.

He could clearly feel the gentle breeze on his cheeks, smell the enticing aromas wafting from the street food stalls, and hear the cacophony of car horns and the laughter of pedestrians. All of this was indistinguishable from the real world.

But if this were reality, he could clearly feel that he had become an ordinary person.

The stellar power that once seemed to control the heavens and earth has now vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.

The destructive laws that had once given him countless headaches, like a gluttonous beast, were now like air being sucked away, and he could no longer feel them at all.

And his superhuman physique, once invulnerable to swords and spears and possessing immense strength, now, after just a slight movement of his body, he felt a soreness, just like an ordinary person who has long lacked exercise.

Liu Jun slowly opened his eyes, looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar streets around him, his heart filled with doubt and confusion. He didn't know why he had suddenly returned here, nor what was hidden behind it. He only knew that he had to figure it all out as soon as possible, otherwise, he would be trapped in this fog forever, unable to find his way forward.

"Since we're here, let's just make the best of it," Liu Jun sighed softly, a hint of helplessness in his voice.

He slowly closed his eyes, trying to calm his turbulent emotions. After a moment, he slowly opened his eyes, his gaze firm yet tinged with confusion, and walked towards that familiar place.

This stretch of road, on the surface, is only five or six kilometers long, a distance that would have been a fleeting moment for Liu Jun in the past. But now, he walks extremely slowly, taking a full half hour—no, according to the current way of telling time, it should be said to be an hour.

His gaze swept around, taking in all sorts of people and things. Street vendors were shouting their wares, children were playing and laughing by the roadside, and hurried passersby were each carrying their own stories as they moved through the street.

Looking at all this, Liu Jun was filled with emotion. He was once the ruler of the divine realm, looking down on all living beings, but now he had become a member of this mortal world, experiencing this ordinary yet real life.

If it were just a few days ago, he possessed extraordinary abilities, and could have covered a distance of five or six kilometers in an instant. With a mere flick of his sleeve, he could traverse mountains and rivers, arriving at his destination in a flash.

At that time, he possessed abundant spiritual power, was equipped with various divine artifacts, and could cause changes in the world with every move he made.

However, he now has no spiritual power, no star power, nothing at all; he is just an ordinary person.

As I walked across that once-familiar bridge, the river beneath it still flowed, but the bridge itself was somewhat mottled, as if time had left its mark.

Liu Jun stood on the bridge, quietly recalling the bits and pieces that had happened here.

At that time, he crossed this bridge countless times, just one of the many hurried passersby.

Leaving the bridge, he arrived at the familiar street. The buildings on both sides of the street remained the same, only bearing the marks of time.

Liu Jun's gaze swept across the street as he searched for the most familiar shop.

His steps slowed to a halt, and his gaze lingered. The familiar No. 89 Zhiyang Road appeared before him. The shop still had no storefront, no sign; only some paper money and wreaths were displayed at the entrance, explaining to passersby what the shop did.

Liu Jun stood in front of the shop, his heart filled with mixed emotions. This place had once been his most familiar spot, holding countless memories for him.

He once spent a long time here with Yan Li, the old man, and Monkey King.

He used to be just an ordinary person here, the kind who would tremble with fear if he encountered a vengeful ghost.

There were so many beautiful memories in the past, but now, everything has changed.

I slowly walked into the shop. The interior layout remained the same, only now there was more dust. The paper offerings that were once neatly arranged were now somewhat messy.

Liu Jun's gaze wandered through the shop, as if he saw his former self, full of youthful vigor and high spirits. He gently stroked the paper offerings, feeling their textures, as if touching the past.

"You've arrived." An aged voice came from deep within the shop. Liu Jun looked up and saw an old man dressed in a Tang suit slowly walking out.

The old man's hair was gray and his face was covered with wrinkles, but his eyes were still bright, as if they held endless stories.

It looked very much like him, almost exactly like the old man he remembered.

But Liu Jun knew that this was not the old man. Although there was a slight sense of familiarity, it was definitely not the old man. At the very least, this old man did not have that lewd aura.

"Yes, I'm here," Liu Jun replied softly, his expression somewhat complicated.

The old man walked up to Liu Jun, looked him up and down, his gaze seemingly able to penetrate his soul.

"How do you feel?" the old man asked with a meaningful smile.

Liu Jun looked down at his hands; his knuckles were distinct, but spiritual energy no longer flowed through them. He gently clenched his fists and then released them, feeling the long-lost muscle contraction: "Not bad, it feels pretty good even for an ordinary person."

Although he had lost the authority of the Lord of the Gods and all his abilities to move mountains and fill seas had vanished, the heart beating in his chest was still unusually vibrant.

The key point is that he was free from endless responsibilities and constraints, like a bird released from its cage—relaxed, free, and comfortable.

"Oh?" The old man raised his gray eyebrows, a hint of curiosity flashing in his eyes.

Liu Jun's achievements were too great; it couldn't be described as a dramatic fall, but rather a dramatic fall of ten thousand miles. Yet Liu Jun didn't seem to have much of a reaction, which puzzled him.

"Let's go, let's go see something else." The old man's wide sleeves fluttered without wind, and his withered fingers drew a mysterious trajectory in the air.

The surrounding scenery was scattered like a shattered mirror, then reassembled in the blink of an eye.

When Liu Jun could see clearly again, he heard the joyous sound of suona horns and saw a brightly lit wedding scene.

"What? You brought me to this banquet?" Liu Jun couldn't help but laugh out loud; the scene change was really abrupt.

He noticed that his casual clothes had somehow turned into a proper navy blue suit, and even his leather shoes were polished to a shine.

The old man straightened the collar of his Tang suit, which was embroidered with subtle patterns, and pulled a bulging red envelope from his pocket: "Well, I've got nothing better to do."

As they spoke, they walked to the gift table and stopped, gently placing down a red envelope with the gold-embossed character "囍" (double happiness). The ink on the register was still wet—"Gift: Two thousand yuan."

The hotel, while not luxurious, was still quite upscale, with crystal chandeliers illuminating the entire lobby. About thirty or forty round tables were covered with burgundy tablecloths, each set with delicate candy boxes and steaming teacups. Amidst the lively chatter of guests clinking glasses, the emcee was adjusting the microphone on stage.

The old man led Liu Jun through the bustling crowd of people, heading straight for the main table closest to the stage. This spot was usually reserved for the newlyweds' closest relatives, but strangely, two seats were empty.

"What? Is your relative getting married?" Liu Jun asked in a low voice, his fingers unconsciously tracing the intricate embroidery on the tablecloth.

He noticed that the middle-aged woman sitting next to him frequently cast questioning glances at him, but would hurriedly turn her head away when she met the old man's gaze.

She seemed to know the old man, but was also afraid of him; she had a rather conflicted expression.

The old man slowly poured himself a cup of tea: "Look at that groom."

He raised his chin and pointed to a young man in a sharp suit on the stage. The man was nervously adjusting his bow tie, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.

Liu Jun narrowed his eyes, suddenly struck as if by lightning—that face bore a striking resemblance to his own. (End of Chapter)